Quizon makes move in time for SEAG

MANILA, Philippines — Teenage sensation Daniel Quizon continued to make a case as a potential gold medal winner in the 30th Southeast Asian Games after he emerged blitz king in the Pattaya Chess Open in Pattaya, Thailand last Sunday.

Quizon, an International Master even though he will only turn 15 in December, scored 9.5 points out of a possible 11, including a victory over top seed Grandmaster Roy Saptarshi of India. The victory should boost his confidence for the SEAG in Subic Bay where he is one of the country’s bets in the blitz event.

“I hope to win the SEAG gold,” said Quizon, who will team up with another popular Filipino blitz player, David Elorta in the SEAG.

It was another blitz title for Quizon after he won in the Asian Juniors in Solo, Indonesia and the Philippine Southeast Asian Games qualifying tournament in Makati City last July as well as the Eastern Asia Youth Championship in Bangkok, Thailand last August.

Saptarshi ended up at joint second with another Filipino, FIDE Master Sander Severino, with 8.5 points apiece but took No. 2 with a better tiebreak.

Severino, who dealt Quizon his only loss of the Pattaya tilt, slipped to third spot.